Just a virus...

Today my dear friend posted that her 5-year-old son has had a fever and headache for the last couple days.  This might not seem like a big deal to most people.  The majority of my facebook friends have children, so my feed is full of posts detailing the various children and adults who have succummed to this cold or that flu.  (Some of you people share way too much information about your illnesses with the rest of the world!)  So why was this illness post different?  What makes this child's fever blog-worthy?

Four years ago this child had a fever that just didn't seem to want to go away.  My friend took him to the doctor.  "Just a virus" they said.  He was admitted to the hospital for three days.  "Just a virus" they said.  The fever persisted.  The pain began.  The fears surfaced.

      Isn't he adorable?

Finally they were referred to a specialist who was concerned enough to order a CT scan.

January 19, 2010 - the day of the CT scan.  January 19, 2010 - the day my friend's life, her son's life, the entire family's life and the lives of those who love and care for them changed.  January 19. 2010 - the day my friend heard the words "your son" and "abdominal mass" in the same sentance.

A week later her son was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblasoma. According the to National Library of Medicine, "Neuroblastoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that develops from nerve tissue. It usually occurs in infants and children."  As you can imagine, stage 4 is the last thing any cancer patient or parent wants to hear.  When dealing with stage 4 neuroblastoma doctors don't talk in survival rates, they talk in chances of relapse.  My friend's son was given a 25-33% chance of making it all the way through treatment and never, ever having the cancer return.

        Between treatments!  Look mom, no hair!

My friend has now watched her son go through almost two years of treatments, countless tests, buckets of tears and radiant smiles, thousands of prayers, and another two years of followup tests.  Each test, each fever, each ache and pain brings with it a stab of fear that the cancer has returned.

      First Day of Kindergarten Sept 2013

Each day seven children die from cancer.  Statistically 60% of childhood cancer is diagnosed in children under the age of 5.  Sadly, only 4% of federal cancer research funds go towards finding a cure for childhood cancers.  The 'cures' for childhood cancer bring with them life-long side effects.  Do you see the hearing aid in the above picture?

These facts and statistics are unacceptable to those who are living this nightmare.  Each day is a reminder that tomorrow life could change again.  Today's fever brings with it a fear that so many parents will never know.  

My friend took her son to the doctor today.  "Just a virus" they said.  Tonight my friend went to sleep praying that this time they are right.  

What can the rest of us do?  Raise awareness, raise funds, raise our kids to care. As you tuck your children in, hug them to pieces, fuss at them for leaving their dirty clothes on the floor...again, soothe their fevers and quiet their coughs, I ask that you remember my friend and the thousands like her who pray that their children do not relapse, who pray that it is indeed, "just a virus".